Glaucoma Surgeon London
Glaucoma is the name given to a group of conditions that damage the optic nerve. Unfortunately, the damage done by glaucoma is irreversible and if left untreated it can lead to permanent sight loss in both eyes.
It is very worrying when you are told by an optician that you have high eye pressure or suspicious optic nerve or glaucoma. Most people think that it will mean that they will go blind.
Although glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the UK, but when diagnosed early enough and treated effectively the vast majority of people can be helped to reduce the risk of complete blindness.
Glaucoma diagnosis and management is a specialised area in the field of eye care and it is important that one sees a specialist in this field to minimise the risk of missed/incorrect diagnosis.
Glaucoma develops when there is a build-up in fluid and pressure within the eye that damages the optic nerve. Unfortunately, most people can go for a long time completely unaware if they have early to moderate form of glaucoma.
The condition can slowly develop until the symptoms become noticeable and very advanced. There is no obvious physical pain, no cloudiness of vision or redness of the eye in most people. People can begin to become aware there may be a problem when they start to struggle to see in low light conditions and may start to bump into furniture / people or have trouble navigating doorways and steps.
Symptoms of advanced glaucoma
In many cases, a person may not become aware they may be suffering from glaucoma until the condition has become advanced. The symptoms of advanced glaucoma can include darkness or dullness to their sight.
It can be a confusing condition to understand because glaucoma symptoms can vary from person to person and it can affect one eye leaving the other eye unaffected. Majority of the patients have no obvious symptoms. This is why people often put off going to their optometrists for a glaucoma test because they may assume these are simply age-related changes rather than a medical condition.
Because sight loss caused by glaucoma is irreversible, you must keep up your regular eye tests with your optician so they can spot any changes to your eyes early and can diagnose the condition before it goes on to cause significant damage to your vision.
Having a consultation for glaucoma
Having a consultation with Glaucoma Surgeon in London is the first step to putting your mind at ease. Our expert team will conduct a thorough eye examination and will look at your medical history.
We will be able to diagnose glaucoma and explain how advanced the condition is. We will work with you to put together a plan to help you manage the condition and we will draw up a detailed report for you, your GP and your regular optician so your health care providers are fully aware of your condition.
When you come for your appointment with us, you should bring along your glasses and any eye drops or prescription medications that you use or are currently taking. If you have any previous tests including visual fields, optic nerve scan/photos then please bring with you. Please also bring along your insurer details and policy number and authorization details (if relevant).
A full consultation for glaucoma includes specialised tests including gonioscopy, visual fields, ultrasound pachymetry, disc imaging etc.
How is glaucoma treated?
There is no permanent cure for glaucoma. The only practical way of treating glaucoma is to reduce the eye pressure. It is done by using eye drops, laser or surgery. When the eye pressure is sufficiently reduced then further damage to optic nerve due to glaucoma can be prevented in most cases.
See our glaucoma FAQs section for more detailed information.